Rowan and Sakura present the first multi-chaptered FMA fic Rowan has written! We hope you all enjoy it- that is, if you don't mind Elricest and OCs cluttering up the storyline. If you don't like these things, get the hell away from my story! Otherwise, you may proceed.

Disclaimer: Rowan doesn't own FMA. See, she's not even sure if Arakawa-san, who does own it, is male or female. And Rowan is not confused about her gender, see? So it's impossible.

Warning: One-sided Elricest, OCs. Purposefully bad dialogue.

Note: Okay, since I personally feel that the last chapter was a moment out of a soap opera, and I don't like it that way but I'm lazy, this whole thing is actually supposed to be funny, because all of it will be written like a soap. This is what I do to entertain myself. So have fun; laugh at the dialogue if you want to. That's what it's there for.

And then when you're done with this, read Darling, the serious, well-written version of this story. Also by me.

Definition of Sin

Chapter Four- Fear

Winry could feel her beauty as she entered the house, Julie right beside her. The appreciative glances from the men, all high-ranking officers like Brigadier Generals and Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels...and some of them she gave an equal look back. But even so, despite this new beauty, the lovely beige and pink dress, her shortened hair, and her shimmering lips, the only person she did it for did not look at her that way.

"Hello Edward," she said as he and Al found them in the middle of the room. "How do I look?"

Ed looked her up and down, smiled a little, but there was none of that "I want you" in his eyes. Only a "You look nice," and that's all he said.

Winry sighed. "Thank you," she muttered.

"Uncle!" Julie suddenly cried, running up to an older, clean-cut man who had a bit of his left ear missing. Ed and Al could have said where that piece went- towards the alchemy exam and Edward's fame, but they said nothing, simply shook hands with the man and waited for recognition. There was a faint, "Oh yes, the Elric brothers," but little else. No, "Oh yes, I remember you," whether good or bad. Perhaps that was preferred.

Then they were seated at a large round table, one of three in the large dining room. Julie sat beside her uncle and Alphonse on her right. Ed was on Al's right and on his other side sat Winry. She noticed many appreciative glances her way, though the man she sat beside barely noticed her in favor of his escort. The tea was lovely but confusing, as Ed, Al, and Winry all felt rather out of place. But finally, after a half hour of small chit-chat, and enduring Edward's eyes turned always toward Al, Winry felt she could take it no longer. Standing, she went over to Julie and whispered in her ear, "Where's the toilet?" Julie glanced behind her, then told her the directions to lead her through the maze of the mansion.

When she finally found the bathroom, she found the door was locked, but that was no matter, because she just wanted to look into the mirror and see what Ed could not. What was it that Ed could love about Al, and yet he couldn't love her? The sharp realization that tomorrow was to be their wedding day struck her heart like a wrecking ball, and tears began to spring to her eyes. Leaning against the door, Winry pinched her nose and tried to stop the tear drops from falling and ruining her make up.

A clicking sound filled the hallway and then the door behind her swung open. Winry, not expecting her support to swing back so quickly, began to fall. But before she could go very far, strong arms caught her and held her up. "Wha-" Winry glanced up into the dark eyes of Colonel Mustang.

"Oh!" Winry jumped out of his arms, her heart thumbing in her chest.

Mustang stared intently at her for a moment before a flicker of recognition entered his alluring eyes. "Winry Rockbell?" he asked.

Winry nodded, her face turning pink, her tears still sparkling in her eyes. Oh, how embarrassing, she thought.

Mustang smiled. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting," he said, then walked down the hall back to the dining room.

Winry watched him go with wide eyes, then ran into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Alphonse was beginning to get on Edward's nerves. He loved his brother- too much, he would say- but Al latched so easily onto the illusion that Ed was in love with Mustang that every time the Colonel stood from his seat, Al pointed him out with a 'knowing' grin. Ed thought he was going to be sick if he had to endure those glances of secrecy any longer. Sick, because ew, he could never think of Mustang like that!

When Winry returned from the bathroom, Edward turned to her with relief. But Winry was so shaken by her encounter with the Colonel that she barely paid attention to Edward's paying her attention. She was too busy being mortified to hear him.

And then, Julie's uncle, General Hakuro stood up and clarified the entire thing.

"I am here to announce the promotions of some of our excellent officers here today," he said, rising from his seat. "Now, normally, this is done informally, but since there are so many promotions to hand out, I thought that doing it all at once would be much more effective." Edward and Winry watched with boredom during the ceremony, as General Hakuro read out the names. The only one that caught their attention was the newly appointed Brigadier General Mustang.

When Mustang rose, Al nudged Ed roughly in the ribs and grinned at him. Edward simply rolled his eyes and wished he never led on that he loved anyone. As for Winry, her heart stopped as she studied that handsome face. He was good-looking, she admitted, but there was nothing particularly special about him, nothing that would attract her. After all, he was nothing like Edward; he was calm, collected, calculating. Everyone was a pawn to him, everyone movable, every action dictated by him for his benefit. Nothing that she could possibly like.

But then, why did her heart stop when she looked at him? Could it be...?

That night, as Winry tried to fall asleep, she heard a knock on the door. "Come in," she said as she sat up in bed and pulled the covers up over her chest.

Ed entered and sat on the bed beside her. "Edward? What is it?" His face was troubled and it was clear that he could not sleep either.

Reaching out, Ed fingered the short ends of her hair absently. "Tomorrow...would have been our wedding day," he whispered. "Winry, you don't hate me because...because I can't love you like that, do you?"

Winry saw the troubled look in his eyes, so similar to the time when he asked Al if he hated him for sealing his soul to a suit of armor. She pulled Ed into a hug. "No, Ed, I don't hate you," she said in his ear. "I love you too much."

Ed smiled up at her. "Winry, I told Al that we canceled the wedding."

"Oh."

"And...I told him I'm in love with someone else."

Winry's throat tightened with emotion. "Did you tell him who?"

Ed shook his head. "But...he thinks I'm in love with Col- er, Brigadier General Mustang."

Winry felt a sharp pain in her heart, something that resembled jealousy. "Oh?"

"Yeah," Ed laughed. "Kind of silly, huh?"

"Yeah...hilarious." But Winry could not feel humored by this new revelation. Why did she feel the urge to tell Ed that Mustang was hers?

Ridiculous.

"Hey, Winry?" Ed's voice was soft again, like before. "I want you to meet someone perfect for you. Someone who will love you the way I won't. Someone who, when they see you in that dress, will love you in it, but want you much more without it. Someone who can give you everything." He glanced up at her bright blue eyes. "Do you understand, Winry? I can love, but I will never want you like that."

She nodded slowly, tears in her eyes again. "Yes, I know what you mean."

Ed kissed her on her forehead, then walked toward the door. Before he closed the door behind him, he turned and smiled again. "You did look beautiful today," he said.

Winry smiled and the tears fell, but they didn't burn her skin with their anger or sorrow. They were cool like a spring rain and she felt liberated.

Falling back into her pillows, she wondered. Liberated from what? Liberated to do...what?

To contemplate the end of that question: Could it be...

Love?

Winry shuddered with fright.

tbc

And that is why I revoked Mustang's promotion! Anyway, this chapter was very Winry-centered, ne? I apologize if you don't like Winry all that much, but she is an important character as well; and the question is, does she love Mustang? But that will be mostly a side story. Next chapter will again focus on Edward and his feelings for Alphonse. I'm having a little trouble figuring that bit out, but by next Tuesday (I hope) I'll have finished Chapter Five! I apologize again for not updating last week, but I managed to write two chapters this week, so I'm still on schedule. I still encourage you all to read Darling, especially if you don't want to read about Winry a lot (though I can guarantee you will hate Julie ten times more.) Next week more with Edward, Al, and Julie (maybe?) Until then- Rowan